Previously on ModFab

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Three Things We Love This Week

#1: ROSIE VS. HASSELBECKRosie O'Donnell will surely get flack today for tearing little Republican nutcase Elizabeth Hasselbecka new asshole yesterday on The View, but here at ModFab Headquarters, we're throwing a party in her honor. Yes, O'Donnell is opinionated and strong-willed...and bless her for it. She's a tireless advocate for her beliefs about the failed Bush Administration, the brutalities of the Iraq debacle...and equally vocal about her love of the arts, her activism for families, and her own creative journey. Is she a loudmouth? Yeah, but so are we. Is she opinionated? Sure...like most people. (Whenever Rosie is criticized for being overly opinionated, however, I always sense a little misogyny and homophobia lurking behind the critique. We still live in a sexist age where women aren't supposed to shout...or think.) Is she changing the public discourse in this country for the better? Absolutely. When she leaves the show in June, let's hope she stays as visible, and as vocal. The world will be better for it.

#2: LOST'S SEASON FINALEHow's that for a completely game-changing episode? The power of television, I believe, is to constantly uproot viewer expectations over an extended period of time, something that no other art form can do as well. Lost on Wednesday was a prime example, upending its own dramatic structure to shake the cobwebs off and breath new life into its premise. Everything in the last three seasons must be re-thought. (When exactly was Hurley in the institution? When did Jack get divorced?) A masterstroke of creative writing, I can't wait to see how it all plays out.

#3: BUGIt rocks. It simply rocks. And while it is certainly terrifying in some way, it is not the horror screamfest the trailers make it out to be. (And a note to horror fans...my guess if that you're going to be sorely disappointed by this thoughtful, socially relevant, psychologically tormented film.) Great performances from Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon, a return to form for director Michael Freidkin, and a terrific adaptation of his own play by Tracy Letts. If you find yourself shut out of Pirates of the Caribbean this weekend, you could do a lot worse than to buy a ticket to this small, insidious gem of a movie.